Washington, D.C. – Today, at the start of Firefighter Cancer Awareness Month, U.S. Representative Marilyn Strickland (WA-10) introduced a bipartisan bill that establishes a compensation fund for military firefighters exposed to PFAS, alongside U.S. Representative Bill Posey (R-FL).
“Caring for servicemembers and their families is the foundation of military readiness,” said Strickland. “Military firefighters, most of whom are civilians, are directly exposed to PFAS chemicals while on the job – and deserve compensation, especially for their work-related illnesses.”
“Our firefighters deserve our utmost gratitude for risking their health and lives in service to our communities,” said Congressman Bill Posey. “They need our assurance that we will take care of them like they take care us.”
“Unfortunately, firefighters are among those most highly exposed to the harms from toxic forever chemicals through their protective gear and the PFAS-based firefighting foams they were required to use for decades,” said Jessica Hernandez, Policy Director for Environmental Working Group. “EWG applauds Reps. Strickland and Posey on their bill introduction, which would create a compensation fund to help military firefighters employed by the Department of Defense who were injured or ill as a result of exposure to PFAS.”
“Military firefighters protect those who courageously serve our country, their families, and our national security. Sadly, in the course of this essential work, these brave men and women are unnecessarily exposed to toxic PFAS-laden firefighting foams, subjecting them to higher rates of cancer and other serious health effects. Establishing the Military Firefighters Compensation Fund is an important way a grateful nation can thank these firefighters in the face of lifelong medical costs. The IAFF proudly endorses this bill, and we thank Reps. Marilyn Strickland and Bill Posey for introducing this legislation,” stated Edward A Kelly, General President of the International Association of Fire Fighters.
Military firefighters are disproportionately exposed to PFAS. Exposure to PFAS results in several lifelong related health issues – including cancer.
The bill establishes a compensation fund for military firefighters to provide for timely, uniform, and adequate compensation to current and former military firefighters and, survivors, suffering from illnesses acquired during service and due to exposure to PFAS.
You can read the full bill here.
U.S. Representative Marilyn Strickland serves on the House Armed Services Committee and the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee. She is the Congressional Black Caucus whip, a member of the New Democrat Coalition, one of the first Korean-American women elected to Congress, and the first African-American elected to represent the Pacific Northwest at the federal level.
###